Grace Notes: July 2020
WORKING AS A BEAUTY WRITER PRACTICALLY REQUIRES ME TO TURN UP AT WORK WEARING AS LITTLE PRODUCT AS POSSIBLE – A BLANK CANVAS IF YOU WILL – TO BE SMOTHERED AND SWATCHED IN POTIONS AND PIGMENTS FROM 8 ‘TILL 5. AS IT'S MY JOB TO SWATCH AND SNIFF MY WAY THROUGH THE LATEST AND GREATEST BEAUTY LAUNCHES, EACH MONTH I DEBRIEF ON THE ONES WORTH WRITING HOME ABOUT.
Beauty Bay Soothe Paste Blemish Treatment*
I’ve been waiting to talk about this one since I started testing formulas and ideating product names (over a year ago!). While I have my skin under control now, I’ve spent over half my life battling with acne and the marks it leaves behind. I’ve tried what feels like every single spot treatment on the planet over the years and it always surprises me that none of them ever focus on dealing with the aftermath of a breakout (like red marks and dry skin) as well as getting rid of the spot (fast!). This is kind of like a fancy, proper version of how we used to put toothpaste on spots as teenagers (hence the name!) - but won’t dry out or redden the surrounding area. Instead, it makes use of prebiotics, niacinamide, zinc, salicylic acid, vitamin E, and squalane to soothe, heal, and hydrate skin as it reduces inflammation and clears the pore. So you can keep on using it to heal skin after the blemish has gone. Oh, and it’s £5!
Dr Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops*
No makeup, no problem! During my recent skincare consultations, I’ve found that a lot of us (me too!) are easing off on the makeup front. Whether you've got your skin to a place of not needing to wear foundation, not wanting to undo the hard work of your lockdown skincare routine, or you simply cba with the mask and makeup faff, here's what I keep recommending to everybody: Glossier Futuredew for a fresh-faced glow and oh-so-subtle tint, and Dr Jart Tiger Grass Camo Drops to neutralise redness and even skintone. What's more, it does good on the skincare front too, thanks to skin-soothing cica and SPF20.
Urban Veda Body Brush*
Yep, I’m just another girl who’s gotten really into dry brushing during lockdown. The Urban Veda Ayurvedic Dry Body Brush is softer than most (so good for beginners), perfect for pre-shower skin-smoothing exfoliation, getting blood flowing, aiding digestion, and finally having an excuse to use up all the body oils you’ve collected over the years.
Harrogate Organics CBD Oil 1000mg*
I recently described this on Instagram as like waking up on the right side of bed in liquid form. I normally struggle to sleep past 7am but actually managed to sleep in until 10 on the weekends where I’ve taken this before bed, and when I do wake up I feel well-rested and notably more energised.
Megababe Rosy Pits Daily Deodorant
My new favourite deodorant is all-natural, aluminium-free, alcohol-free, and also happens to be very very chic. I recently posted on Instagram about another natural deodorant I just finished up and had so many questions about going natural and which formulas I recommend. If you can get your hands on it, this is without a doubt the best I've tried and would be a perfect intro to natural deodorant if you're looking for an option that won't block your pores or stain your clothes, smells nice, works hard, and lasts all day.
